While there are many training components to consider for improving surfing workouts and athletic performance, flexibility is often the one variable that is over looked and undervalued as a key component to include into surfing training programs. This surfing app will allow you to watch the contest on your phone.
We all know that strength, power, and endurance are vital performance elements for surfers to train for. Surfers often neglect however, the fact that flexibility and specific stretching for surfing is also a vital surfing training component that must be included into surfing workouts. Having the ability to rotate, balance and create torque within your body while surfing on a wave is highly attributed to overall physical flexibility and good ranges of motion across the joints of the entire body.
A lack of flexibility leads to poor fluidity of movements and a lack of rotational balance and power. Combine this with increased chances of injuries and more physical aches and pains and it is easy to understand the importance of including flexibility training and stretches for surfers into your surfing workouts.
Most professional athletes whether they are a surfing athletes or not, focus on the importance of good posture. This means stretching and strengthening the body to allow good physical alignment so that the body is both strong and flexible across the joints of the body. This allows movement to be performed with more speed, power and efficiency. When surfing this equates to more waves, less falls and more points on the board.
It is important to note that every time a surfer paddles out and performs dynamic maneuvers with poor posture they are placing abnormal weight on their joints while stressing connective tissue, muscles and tendons. Over time this leads to chronic injuries and poor surfing performance. Surfers are notorious for having poor flexibility combined with poor head and shoulder positioning. As the head leads the way into every turn and maneuver while surfing, it is important to address head position if one wishes to surf better. If your head is off kilter then it is likely as a surfer you will sooner or later suffer from neck, shoulder, back, hip or knee problems. These problems can be avoided or eliminated with a good surfing stretching and a flexibility-training program that restores musculoskeletal balance.
To begin with focus on stretching tight muscles regularly. Surfers in particular will often improve their performance by stretching the large muscles of the back, chest and shoulder girdle along with the muscles that cross over the hip, knee and ankle joints. It is also recommend to work alongside a qualified trainer who can implement static and dynamic stretches into your surfing workouts so over time both your flexibility and posture will improve. Professional coaches will often recommend prioritizing stretching for surfing as the number one activity to include into you surfing training program. They will also instruct you to stretch upon waking for at least five to ten minutes, perform dynamic movements prior to getting in the water and do static holds after surfing or competing. By practicing these simple movements you can quickly improve your personal flexibility, your surfing training and your surfing performance.
You see good flexibility helps your surfing become smoother, more powerful and is also linked with your personal long-term health and well-being. In other words flexibility affects not only your surfing but also the quality of your life and your surfing lifestyle. This is especially true as we age and if we want to restore energy and surf proficiently and pain free into the future.
Hayden Rhodes has coached professional and amateur athletes improve their performance through scientific personal training, hormonal testing, nutritional coaching and performance conditioning principles.
If your a professional surfer or just getting started and want to improve as a surfing athlete then please visit http://SurfTrainingSecrets.com.
Do you want a better body or improve as a surfer? For a free 5 day coaching guide on boosting your surfing performance please visit http://SurfTrainingSecrets.com
If you have any questions or comments I look forward to helping you with your health and performance.
Hayden Rhodes
Powering Surfing Athletes
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